Weed Wonks Podcast: Mackenzie Slade of Cannabis Public Policy Consulting on Potency, Prices, and What Drives Consumers to the Illicit Market
In the latest episode of Weed Wonks, Strategies 64’s Jordan Wellington welcomes back Mackenzie Slade, CEO of Cannabis Public Policy Consulting, for a conversation about what makes a regulated cannabis market work. They explore Missouri’s successful and rapid rollout of adult-use legalization and the lessons it may offer other states.
Jordan and Mackenzie also discuss the ongoing challenge of balancing public health goals with a viable legal marketplace, including how policymakers approach taxation, product potency, labeling requirements, and competition with the illicit market.
Weed Wonks Podcast: Henry Crisler of 3MA and Attorney Slates Veazey on the Latest in Mississippi Cannabis Policy and What It Means for the Rest of the Industry
In this episode of Weed Wonks, Jordan Wellington sits down with Henry Crisler, executive director of the Mississippi Medical Marijuana Association (3MA), and Slates Veazey, partner and co-chair of the Cannabis Industry team at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, to unpack the latest policy, legal and business developments shaping the Magnolia State.
From recent legislative setbacks and growing industry consolidation to ongoing DEA inspections of Mississippi dispensaries, the conversation explores what these developments mean for operators in the state—and what the broader cannabis industry should be watching. Listen to the full episode for an inside look at Mississippi’s evolving cannabis landscape.
Weed Wonks Podcast: Public Health Researcher Alisa Padon on Responsible Cannabis Product Marketing
In the latest episode of Weed Wonks, Jordan Wellington sits down with Dr. Alisa Padon, Research Director at the Prevention Policy Group (PPG), for a thoughtful discussion on cannabis marketing and its role in protecting public health.
The conversation examines how cannabis can be marketed to adult consumers without appealing to youth, the influence of pop culture on public perceptions of cannabis use, and the types of advertising practices most likely to contribute to unhealthy consumption. Jordan and Dr. Padon also discuss the importance of balancing public health considerations with broader policy objectives as legal cannabis markets continue to evolve.
Listen to the full episode to hear their insights on responsible cannabis marketing and the future of cannabis policy.
Weed Wonks Podcast: Chuck Smith of Colorado Leads on Cannabis Consumer Trends and How to Advance the Industry While Also Prioritizing Public Safety
In our most recent podcast, Jordan Wellington spoke with Chuck Smith, CEO of Colorado Leads, about the challenges of protecting and advancing Colorado’s legal cannabis industry while maintaining a strong focus on public safety.
Their conversation explored the unique regulatory environment facing cannabis businesses, including why certain consumer trends that succeed in other industries have been slower to emerge in cannabis. They also took a closer look at the cannabis beverage market, discussing the economic and logistical challenges that continue to limit growth and the legislation considered this year in Colorado to address those barriers.
The discussion highlights the ongoing effort to balance innovation, consumer demand, and responsible regulation as the cannabis industry continues to evolve.
Weed Wonks Podcast: Pulak Sharma and Dr. Sean Arora on the “Wild West of CBD” and the Need for Customizable Medical Cannabis
In this special episode of Weed Wonks, Jordan Wellington speaks with Pulak Sharma of Kazmira Therapeutics and Dr. Sean Arora of Arora Health & Aesthetics for a conversation about their licensed compounding pharmacy, Cope Now, and the development of clinician-directed, THC-free cannabinoid formulations designed to address patients’ specific medical needs. They discuss how pharmaceutical-style cannabinoid care could help bring more precision, consistency, and medical oversight to the cannabis space.
They also examine the growing challenges created by the federal government’s bifurcated approach to cannabis policy, which continues to separate hemp and marijuana despite both originating from the same plant. Sharma and Arora explain why anticipating the future direction of cannabis policy — particularly around medical cannabis and cannabinoid therapeutics — is becoming increasingly important for healthcare providers, regulators, and industry operators alike.
Weed Wonks Podcast: Wyld’s Gabe Parton Lee on the Challenges of Regulating Cannabis Edibles
Cannabis companies operate in one of the most challenging regulatory environments in the country, especially when it comes to packaging and marketing.
In the latest podcast episode, Jordan Wellington sits down with Gabe Parton Lee, General Counsel at Wyld, one of the nation’s leading cannabis edibles producers, to discuss the fine line cannabis brands must walk when marketing products to adults without appearing attractive to children.
They also explore the effort behind advancing federal cannabis rescheduling, the realities of navigating inconsistent regulations, and why maintaining public trust remains critical for the industry’s future.
It’s a thoughtful conversation on compliance, policy, and the future of cannabis business.
Weed Wonks Podcast: Attorney Jason Tarasek on Why Minnesota is the Most Fascinating Cannabis Market
In this episode, attorney Jason Tarasek, a partner at Vicente LLP and manager of the firm’s Minnesota office, discusses the nuances of the state’s tribal cannabis policies and how the state is “building the plane while flying it” when it comes to regulating cannabis.
Jason and host Jordan Wellington also discuss what rescheduling and descheduling will mean for investment, why a single, unified market is needed, and how Minnesota gives us a glimpse of what the future can look like when it comes to public cannabis consumption.
Weed Wonks Podcast: Mike Hennesy of Wana Brands on the “One-plant Solution” and Bridging the Marijuana-hemp Policy Divide
In our latest episode, host Jordan Wellington sits down with Mike Hennesy, Vice President of Innovation at Wana Brands, one of the nation’s leading marijuana and hemp product manufacturers, to discuss those challenges and what can be done to resolve them.
They dive into Strategies 64’s recently published white paper, “The One-plant Solution,” which offers recommendations for advancing a unified national cannabis policy that regulates all cannabis—marijuana and hemp—as one plant. It also proposes a federal regulatory framework that respects state sovereignty and leverages existing federal regulatory structures to set national standards and guidelines that prioritize public safety and reflect the realities of today’s legal markets.
Jordan and Mike also look at Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and what it will take to develop a system that empowers responsible operators and weeds out bad actors.
Weed Wonks Podcast: Riana Durrett on the CPI Symposium, rating cannabis markets, and Nevada regulatory issues
In our latest episode, host Jordan Wellington sits down with Riana Durrett, executive director of the Cannabis Policy Institute at UNLV, to revisit the critical issues and conversations that captivated attendees of the annual CPI Symposium, which her organization co-hosted with Strategies 64 in December.
The two discuss the future of federal cannabis policy reform and the “one-plant solution” proposed by Strategies 64 in a new white paper that was the talk of the event. They also revisit the fascinating panel discussions on tribal cannabis law, the difficulty in defining what is “attractive to children,” and the gaps that persist between cannabis policy and research.
Riana explains CPI’s ranking of state cannabis markets, as well as some of the unique regulatory issues facing Nevada, such as the separation of gaming and cannabis, which has prevented the cannabis industry from fully capitalizing on Las Vegas tourism.
